NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 1 – Africa’s Women’s Day was marked on Saturday, with calls for more priority to be given to challenges facing women across the continent.
Despite gains made so far by women in Africa, gender experts say there is much more yet to be done to propel women further so as to take their place in the society in the 21st century and beyond.
Africa’s Women’s Day is observed annually across the continent on 31 July and is a day earmarked to recognise and affirm the role of women’s organising in achieving the political freedom of Africa and advancing the social and economic status of women on the continent.
Winnie Syombua, a Gender Lead at Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) told Capital FM News that she’s happy women are progressively taking their place on the continent, citing key leadership positions held by women, but said there is a lot more that remains to be done.
“We now have female presidents, the president of the world bank is an African woman and increasingly, women are taking leadership positions in corporate and the private sector,” she said.
However, she said, there’s need for more space to be provided for women to take leadership and decision making positions.
“If the current momentum is maintained without negative pressure or unnecessary bottlenecks, women will do better,” she said and urged nations to eliminate the hurdles that prevent women from progressing.
In Kenya for instance, men still dominate key leadership positions both elective and appointive.
The country is yet to attain the Two Thirds Gender rule despite numerous attempts often frustrated by the National Assembly in what is blamed on lack of political goodwill from the top.
Another major challenge facing women and girls in Kenya and across the continent is Sexual Gender-Based Violence which has worsened since last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced lockdowns for several months.
“Sexual and reproductive health rights must be prioritised, GBV must be eliminated and leadership must be made a priority, not a favour for women and the media must positively portray women and give them the platform to express themselves freely and fairly,” Syombua said.
Syombua is the Gender Lead at JHR-Kenya, a Canadian-based Media Development organisation that mobilises media to spread human rights awareness. JHR also runs the Voice for Women and Girls’ Rights (VWGR) project.
Africa’s Women’s Day that was marked on Sunday was proclaimed as a day to be commemorated during the first conference of the Pan-African Women’s Organization (PAWO) which was held in July 1962 in Dar es Salaam Tanganyika (now known as Tanzania).
The day offers a national, continental and global opportunity to recall and affirm the significant role of African women in the evolution of a strong Pan-African identity, with shared values, objectives and vision for the future, as well as women being key contributors towards achieving Africa’s inclusive growth and sustainable development agenda anchored in the AU vision of an integrated prosperous and peaceful Africa.
In his statement to commemorate the day, the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat the day was set aside to celebrate and acknowledge the Foremothers of Africa who gallantly fought for the liberation and development of this continent.
He also reiterated the important role of African women who continue to be the backbone of our economies as farmers, entrepreneurs, traders, scientists and leaders in many other sectors.
The Chairperson noted that one of his priorities remains the full implementation of the policy organs’ call to have gender parity in the workforce of the AU by 2025 and committee that he will continue to demand dignity and protection for all women and girls who have been forcibly displaced in Africa; remarking that it is the collective responsibility of Africans to hold themselves and their leaders accountable to deliver on the gender equality and women’s empowerment commitments.
“One of my priorities remains the full implementation of the policy organs’ call to have gender parity in the workforce of the AU by 2025. It is within this context that I recently appointed the first ever AU Youth Envoy who is a woman,” he said, “I also continue to advocate for Member States to adopt and implement policies as well as create a conducive environment for women to participate effectively, equally and fully in all sectors of society.”
